Air Bags THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY

[summerj]

Hello All.
I am contemplating adding airbag suspension to my 65 fleetside short bed. I am running a stock rear end 350 with 700R4. power steering, Doing the power disk brakes up front from doner truck now.

I am going to be using this truck for a catering business and I will be pulling a 2000lb trailer with electric brakes. I need it to ride as smooth as possible.

I love the way that the Air Bags look and the fact that you can adjust the ride height etc. with onboard compressor.

Q. How much maintenance is involved with these systems.
Does the quality of ride improve over the stock suspension?

What are the pros with air ride?
What are the cons?

I have talked to a few locals that Have purchased some of their parts used on Craigs List.

[kieth]

[QUOTE=summerj;4918335]Hello All.
I am contemplating adding airbag suspension to my 65 fleetside short bed. I am running a stock rear end 350 with 700R4. power steering, Doing the power disk brakes up front from doner truck now.

I am going to be using this truck for a catering business and I will be pulling a 2000lb trailer with electric brakes. I need it to ride as smooth as possible.

I love the way that the Air Bags look and the fact that you can adjust the ride height etc. with onboard compressor.

Q. How much maintenance is involved with these systems.
Does the quality of ride improve over the stock suspension?

What are the pros with air ride?
What are the cons?


Air ride in the rear. pros for pulling a trailer with 2 2600 series air bags you can accomplish what you are wanting without a lot of expense. I would just hook up to a schrader valve and air them to the proper ride height when you pull the trailer.

1. schrader valve is like a valve stem except it hooks to air line.

2. Use the 8" bags like I did since you are pulling a trailer, keep your truck at stock ride height, you need more clearance since you are pulling a trailer.

3. remember the air bags do not add capacity they just allow you to control the height of the truck when the load varies. (with or without the trailer)

3. If your trailer is enclosed and you are pulling it with a 1/2 ton truck get a equalizer hitch with a sway bar. This will transfer weight from the rear of the truck to the front and keep you from overloading the rear axle. Be sure and have trailer brakes, without out them the trailer could push you right thru a intersection on a wet day.

4. Call me if you have questions.......918-446-2245 Kieth

5. Ride quality will depend on shocks, sway bar, and ride height.....our trucks on coils ride really well, they do not handle as well when a load is put on them. So the ride quality should be better loaded and just as good unloaded .

The ride quality loaded will depend on the type of trailer you have,

Is it a tandem or a single axle. ?

[summerj]

Yes The Trailer Has 4 wheel electric brakes. Tandem Axle.

I am not sure what an equilizer trailer hitch looks like. Are u referring to a frame hitch like a reece? I was planing on buying a class III frame hitch.

The sway Bar that you recommend ....does that bolt to the front or the rear axle?

I will shop for some 8" bags. Any particular brand?

What type of universal parts should I keep an eye out for on Craigs List? (Compressor Valves etc?)

[csa daddy]

the hitch he is refering to it has a couple bars that attach from the trailer to the hitch an help with sway its some ol school tech